Machine for pressing concrete blocks.



s. RQBRYGIDER.

MACHINE FOR PRESSING CONCRETE BLOCKS.

APPLicATIoN FILED 13m19.191s.

Patented Apr. 3, 41917'.

'6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEY S. R. BRYGIDEH..

MACHINE FOR-PRESSINC CONCRETE BLOCKS.

APPUCAHON HL-ED 0m19.191s.

Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

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APPLICATION FILED DEC. 19. |916.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

W/ TNESSES:

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s.- R. BRYGmfR; MACHINEFOR P'RESSING CONCRETE BLOCKS. APPLICATION FILD DEC. i9. l9|6.

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S. R. BRYGIDER.

MACHINE FOR PRESSING CONCRETE BLOCKS. APPLICATION FILEDA 050.19. 191l A NORA/EV SIMON R. BRYGIDER, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

MACHINE FOR PRESSING CONCRETE BLOCKS.

mamen Application led December 19, 1916.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, SIMON R. BRYGIDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at akland, in the county of Alameda and State of California. have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Pressing Concrete Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for pressing concrete blocks, and consists chiefiy of the novel devices for clamping the mold boxes, before pressure` is applied to the blocks, and in 'thedetails of construction, and arrangement of parts of the pressing mechanism, whereby the uniformity of thickness of the block pressed is assured.

It further embraces other features of construction, hereinafter described in 'the specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a sectionalV plan of the press, taken on line 1--1 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the press, showing the driving mechanism of the machine.

Fig. 8 isla cross section, 'taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail of the gearing for raising and lowering the platen of the press.

Fig. 5 is a plan vievx7 of one of the casters supporting the mold boxes.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of the press, taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the press, similar to Fig. 2, with the driving gearing removed, in order to show clearer the mechanism for actuating the press.

Fig. 8 is a plan of a portion of the mechanism for actuating the press.

Fig. 9 is a cross section and Fig. 10 a sectional plan of the lower part of the machine, showing the operating mechanism for clamping the mold boxes.

The machine comprises a heavy frame, formed of the side plates 1 and 2, which carry the strengthening' ribs 3 and 4.

The side plates are held together at the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

semi No. 137,899.

bottom by thev cross plates 5 and 6, located at the front and rear respectively, and by a number of cross plates 7, placed between them at short intervals apart; yand at the top the side plates are tied together by the top plates 8, carrying strengthening ribs 9.

Upon the cross plates 5,6 and 7 is placed a heavy horizontal plate 10, forming the table of the press.

The mold boxes 11, lled with concrete, are placed upon the table 10, and are clamped in place endwise by the swinging gates 12 and v13, and sidewise by the clamping plates 93 and 94.

The pressing mechanism consists of the crank shafts 15 and 16, which are mounted in bearings 17, carried by the side plate 1,

'and in the bearings 18, carried by the' side plate 2.

Additional bearings 19, for the support of the crank shafts at their middle, are placed uponr the top plates 8.

The crank shafts 15 and 16 are provided with the crank pins 20 and 21, carrying the connecting rods 22, joining them operatively with the platen 29 of the press. The connecting rods are provided with central bores 14, taped to receive the threaded ends of the connecting rod stems 23, which are provided at 'the other end with the spheres 24, fitting in the bearings 25, carried by the guiding plates 26.

The guiding plates are arranged to work inthe guides 27, cast upon the sides 1 and 2 of the frame, and they are provided with the fianges 28, whereby they become secured to the platen 29.

The mechanism, for driving the crank shafts 15 and 16, consists of the belt 30, driving the pulley 31, which is securely fastened to a driving shaft 32, mounted in a bearing 33, carried upon a bracket 34, and in a bearing 35, provided on the side 2 of the frame.

A heavy fly wheel 46 is secured to the shaft.

A driving pinion 36, cast integral with a friction clutch plate 38, is loosely mounted upon the driving shaft 32, While a fric- The plate 38 and the annular frame 39y are held together by a number of clamping bolts 40, passing through holes, provided in them both, the heads of said bolts being pivoted to` the bent levers 41, `which are actuated by the shifting sleeve 42. f

By ,moving said sleeve to theright, as shownin Fig. 3, the arms 43 of the bent levers 41 are forced outwardby means of the links 44, causing the `short arms 45 to :press against the annular frame 39, forcing it against the disk 37 from one side, while the plate 38 is being pulled toward the disk from the other side by means of the bolts 40, thus applying friction to the opposite sides of thefclutch disk, gripping it, and causing the pinion 36 to move together with the revolving shaft 32.

When the sleeve 42 is moved to the left,

the grip upon the disk 37 is released, and

the pinion 36Vmay then be brought to rest.

The driving pinion 36 engages a gear 47,

keyed to a counter shaft 48, mounted at one end in a bearing 49, provided upon the `bracket 34, and at the other end in a bearing ing 50, located upon the side 2 of the frame.

A. pinion 51, keyed to the counter shaft 48, is madeto engage the gear 52, keyed to the crank shaft 15, and a similar gear 53, keyed Ato the crank shaft 16, driving both said crank shafts at the same rate of speed, and causing both Vsides of the platen to move simultaneously up and down. Y.

In pressing the concrete blocks, the mold box, filled with concrete material, is clamped in the press by the mechanism hereinafter described, and a top plate 54, which may be made plain or with any designs of carvings upon its lower surface, is placed on top, andV the platen 29 is brought down and raised up again by a singlerevolution of the crank shafts 15 and 16, forcing` the plate 54 into the interior of the mold boX, compressing the concrete block.

The mechanism, controlling the rotation of thefcrank shafts 15 and 16, consists of the shaft 55, held in the bearings 56, and carrya number of arms 57, 58, 59l and 60. The arms 57 and 58 are both forked at their ends, where the. former is made to engage the shifting sleeve 42, actuating the fric* tion clutch, while the latter engages a sleeve 61, slidably mounted upon one of the crank periphery of the annular frame 39. arm connects by means of a link with shafts, and arranged to rotate together with said shaft, being fitted to it by means of a feather 62.

The arm 59 actuates a band brake 63, placed within a groove 64, cut in the oSuter aid one arm 66 of a beam lever, fulcrumed at 67, and engaging at the other end the band brake 63.

The arm 60, carried upon the shaft 55, connects with a rod 68, which is used as a guide for a coiled compression spring 69, acting upward, and holding yieldingly the several arms 57, 58 and 59 in the position shown in Fig. 3, when the band brake is released, the friction clutch is in action, bcing held in engagement by the force of the spring, and the crank shafts 15 and 16 are in motion.

Before the crank shafts 15 and 16 complete the revolution, the side cam 70, provided upon the sleeve 61, comes in contact with a cam 71, carried upon a swinging arm 72, fulcrumed at 73, causing the said sleeve 61, to move to the right, carrying along the forked end of the arm 58, turning the shaft 55 in a clockwise direction, the arm 60 compressing the spring 69, the arm 57 releasing the friction clutch, and the arm 59 applying the band brake 63, bringing the moving parts to a stop. i

F or actuating the press there is provided a rocking shaft 76, mounted in bearings 77, and carrying at one end an arm 75, connecting by means of a rod 74 with the swing ing arm 72, and carrying at the other end an arm 79, having at the end the treadle 78.

By pressing upon the treadle 78, the swinging arm 72 is lowered, carrying the cam 71 out of alinement with the cam 70, thus permitting the sleeve 61 to move toward the left through the action of the coiled spring 69, returning the several levers 57, 58, 59 and 60 to the position shown in Fig. 3, when the band brake is released, and the friction clutch is applied for another revolution of the crank shafts 15 and 16.

The mechanism for clamping the mold boX in the press consists of the swinging gates 12 and 13, which are secured to shafts or rods and 81, mounted in bearings 82, provided on the side frames 1 and 2.

The gates, when lowered, are locked in place by the latch plates 83 and 84, which are pivoted at one end to the table 10, and engage at the other end the lower ends 85 and 86 of the said gates, locking them firmly.

The mold box is thus held in place endwise by the front and rear gates, which sustain all the pressure, given up to the front and rear walls of said mold boX.

In order to sustain the pressure upon the sides of the mold box, there is provided on one side a filling plate 87, which is made to rest at the lower end against the side frame 1, and at the top end against a number of sustaining bars 88, which are fitted in an opening 89, provided in said side frame. v

On the other side there are provided two clamping plates 93 and 94, placed adjacent one another, and having their adjacent sur,- faces fitted with wedges 92. The plate 93 is placed next to the side of the mold box, and is made to rest upon the table 10, while the plate 94 is held at some distance above the table by a number of rods 90. 1n raising the plate 94 the mold box becomes clamped, while the lowering of said pla-te releases the mold boX.

For the purpose of operating the swinging gates 12 and 13, the latch plates 83 and 84, and the clamping plate 94, there are provided a number of shafts, carrying cams, operatively connecting with the several members of the clamping mechanism, all said shafts being so arranged, as to be operated by a single crank, worked by the operator: the turning of said crank in one or in the other direction acting so, as to clamp, or to release the mold boX.

rihe operating mechanism for clamping the mold boxes are best shown in plan in Fig. 10, and in elevation in Figs. 2, 3, 6 and 9, and consists of the cam shafts 95, 96 and 97, all of them placed in a single plane underneath the table 10, being mounted in bearings, carried by brackets 98, secured to the side 2, and to the front, and rear cross plates 5 and 6 of the frame. The shaft 95 passes through an opening, provided in the strengthening rib 3, where it rests in a bushing 99, and receives at the end a worm wheel 100, rigidly secured to it.

A worm, meshing with said worm wheel, is secured to a shaft 102, which is mounted in bearings, carried upon brackets 103, and

which carries anV operating crank 104, whereby it may be turned in one or in the other direction, causing the cam shaft 95 to turn likewise in one or in the other direction.

The shaft 95 is coupled to the shaft 97y by means of a connecting rod 105, which engages at one end an arm 106, secured to the sit-.ft 95, and at'the other end a similar arm 107, secured to the shaft 97. The two shafts 95 and 97, thus coupled, will rock in unison for a small part of a revolution.

A number of cams 108 are secured to the shafts 95 and 97, and a number of connecting rods 109, provided at one end with straps 110, having rectangular olpenings, for receiving said cams, are pivoted at the other end to lugs 112, carried by the latch plates 83 and 84.

The turning of the shafts 95 and 97 in one direction, will lower the locking ends of the latch plates, unlocking the swinging gates 12 and 13, while the turning of said shafts in the other direction, will raise the ends of the latch plates, locking said swinging gates. t

Arms 113 and 114, secured to the shafts 80 and 81 of the swinging" gates 12 and 13, are connected together by a rod 115, in the manner shown in Fig. 6, and due to such a connection the said gates are caused to act simultaneously, while opening or closing.

The gates are operated by an arm 11G, secured to the cam shaft 95, carrying at the end a pin 117, working ina slotted hole 118, provided at one end of a rod 119, which en gages at the other end an arm 120, secured to the shaft 81 of the swinging gate 13. i

At the beginning of the turning of the shaft 95 in a direction clockwise, the cams 108, acting through the connecting rods 109, cause the lowering of the locking ends of the latch plates 83 and 84, unlocking the gates, while the pin 117 is sliding in the slotted hole 118 of the connecting rod 119, and at the continuation of the turning of the shaft 95, the -pin 117 engages the connecting rod 119, moving it downward, cause ing the opening Of both gates 12 and 13.

F or closing the gates the shaft 95 is turned in a direction opposite to the hands of a clock. At the beginning of the rotation the arm 110, moving upward, will permit the gates 12 and 13 to swing down by gravity, and at the continuation of the rotation of the shaft 95, the cams 108 raise the ends of the latch plates 83 and 84, locking the gates.

' The shaft 95 carries at the end a miter gear 121, meshing with the gear 122, secured to the shaft 96, imparting motion to the latter.

Cams 108, carried by the shaft 9G, connect by means of the rods 90 with the clamping plate 94, and cause said plate to move downward,releasing the mold box, while the latch plates 83 and 84 are being unlocked, or move upward, clamping the mold boX, while said latch plates are being locked. f

A table or a rail track 124 is provided at the feed end of the machine, supporting the mold box, before it enters the press, andganother table or rail track 125 is placed at the discharge end of the press, supporting the mold boX, after leaving the press.

An opening 89 is provided in the side 1 of the frame, through which the operator may watch the actionV of the press, or through which the top plate 54, or any filling plate required for molding a particular block, may be introduced.

The blocks pressed may vary consider- Vthe platen consists of the two plates 127,

provided with the bearings 128, to receive the connecting` krod stems 23, said stems being'held in place by the hubs of the gears 129, secured to said stems underneath the plates, and by the collars 130, fastened to the stems above said pla-tes.

Geals'131, secured to short stems 132, passing through central bearings in the plates, are fitted to mesh with the gears 129,

and hand wheels 134, secured to theV stems 132, are provided for rotating said gears` 131, yturning the stems 23 of the connecting rods 22 in. one, or in the other direction, thus lengthening, or shortening the said connectingv rods, lowering, or raising the platen 29.

` 1V henthe platen is brought to the proper adjustment, the stems are clamped Vby the jam nuts 135. Y.

I 1n the design of presses for pressing concrete blocks, it is difficult to find means, for securing togetherrthe several parts of the frame,forming the portion of the press, for

clamping the mold boX, without making the machine bulky, due to the severe strains, caused by the high pressure, to which the concrete material is subjected.

In the design of the frame for the press of this invention certain novelties of construction were introduced, which greatly diminish the amount of metal used, and at thelsame time secure the required strength ofthe frame.

The up and down pressure on the material in the mold box is sustained by the top plates 8, which are well ribbed, and are held at the vends in the grooves 138, cut in the side frames 1 and 2, and by the table 10, resting upon the cross plates 5, 6, and 7, which are provided with the shoulders 136,

y resting upon the ribs 137, carried by the side frames 1 and 2.

The pressure of the material upon the sides of the mold boX is sustained by the table 10, which is formed on the sides with ribs 139, litting in grooves 140, provided on the ribs 141, east upon the 'sides 1 and 2 of the frame, and by thetie rods 142, connecting the said sides above the'mold box.

The pressure of the material upon the ends of the mold box is sustained by the gates 12 and 13, which are made rigid at the top by the heavy ribs 143, and are sustained at the bottom by the latch plates 83 and 84, resting in the seats 144, provided in the table 10.

The mold box 11 is supported yieldingly by a number of casters 146, which are held upon standards 147, passing through openings 145, provided in the table 10. The standards are provided with the [langes 148, resting upon coiled springs 149, held by the nuts 150, carried by the stud bolts 151, which are secured at the bottom of the table 10.

The springs 149 have enough tension to sustain the weight of the mold box, while it is being moved in and out of the press, but yield readily, permitting the mold box te come down, and rest upon the table 10, when pressure from above is applied.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim as new, and desire toA secure by Letters Patent is 1. ln a machine for pressing concrete blocks two side frames, a table placed between said side frames, two crank shafts prvided with a plurality of crank pins mounted in bearings carried by said side frames, grooves cut in the inner faces of said frames, top plates carrying bearings supporting said shafts, fitted at their ends in said grooves, a platen, and a plurality of connecting rods joining said crank pins with said platen.

v2. In a machine for pressing concrete blocks two side frames, a table placed between said side frames, a plurality of crank shafts mounted in bearings carried by said side frames, a plurality of crank pins provided on each of said crank shafts, journals provided between said crank pins, top plates secured to said side frames, bearings carried by said top plates, a platen, and a number of connecting rods joining said crank pins and said platen.

3. In a machine for pressing concrete blocks two side frames, a plurality of cross plates uniting said side frames at the bottom, supporting ribs cast integral with said side frames, shoulders provided on said cross plates fitted to rest upon said supporting ribs, a table resting upon said cross plates, a mold box resping upon said table, a platen placed above said mold box, and means for lowering down said platen.

4. In a machine for pressing concrete blocks two side frames, clamping ribs cast integral with said side frames, grooves provided in said clamping ribs, a table, ribs carried by said table fitting said grooves, a mold boX containing material forming a block, adapted to be clamped between said side frames, and means for applying pressure upon said material.

5. 1n a machine for pressing concrete blocks two side frames, a table placed between said side frames, a mold box, bearings provided on said side frames, swinging gate shafts mounted in said bearings, swinginggates formed with stiffening ribs at the top secured to said shafts, and swinging latch plates pivoted to said table at one end adapted to engage or disengage at the other end the bottom ends of the swinging gates, locking or unlocking said gates.

6. In a machine for pressing concrete blocks two side frames, a table placed between said frames, a mold box resting upon said table, two clamping plates placed adjacent one another between said mold box and one of said side frames, wedges pro-k vided upon the adjacent surfaces of said clamping plates, and means for moving one of said clamping plates sliding the wedges of said plate along the wedges of the other plate.

7. In a machine for pressing concrete blocks a frame, a table, a mold box placed upon said table, a front and a rear swinging gate pivoted in bearings provided on said frame, means for opening and closing said swinging gates, swinging latch plates pivoted at one end to said table and adapted to engage or disengage at the other end the bottom of said gates, cam shafts mounted in bearings underneath said table, arms carried by said cam shafts, a connecting rod joining' said arms, cams carried upon said cam shafts, connecting rods provided at one end with straps engaging said cams connecting at the other end with lugs carried by said latch plates, and means for rocking said cam shafts.

8. In a machine for pressing concrete blocks a frame, a table, a mold box placed upon said table, a front and a rear swinging gate provided with shafts mounted in bearings carried by said frame, arms carried bv said front and rear gate shafts, a connecting rod joining said arms, means for opening and closing said gates, and swinging latch plates adapted to lock or unlock said gates.

9. In a machine for pressing concrete blocks a frame, a table, a mold box placed upon said table, a front and a rear swinging gate provided with shafts mounted in bearings carried by said frame, means connecting said front and rear gate shafts so that they work in unison, swinging latch plates pivoted at one end to said table adapted to engage or disengage at the other end the bottom of said gates, two cam shafts mounted in bearings underneath said table, means joining said cam shafts so that they work together, a connecting arm secured to one of said cam shafts carrying a pin at the other end, an operating arm carried upon one of the gate shafts, a connecting rod secured at one end to said gate shaft arm and provided at the other end with a slotted hole engaging said pin in said connecting arm, and means for rocking said cam shafts.

l0. In a machine for pressing concrete blocks two side frames, a table placed between said frames, a mold box resting upon said table, two clamping vplates placed adjacent one another between said mold box and one of said side frames, Wedges provided upon the adjacent surfaces of said clamping plates, a cam shaft mounted in bearings underneath said table, a number of cams carried upon said cam shaft, a number of connecting rods provided at one end with straps engaging said cams and connecting at the other end with one of said clamping plates, and means for rocking said cam Vshaft 11. In a machine for pressing concrete blocks two side frames, a table placed between said side frames, a mold box placed upon said table, a front an'd a rear swinging gate provided with shafts mounted in bearings carried by said side frames, means connecting said gates so that they work together, latch plates pivoted at one end to saidtable and adapted to engage or disengage at the other end the bottom ends of said swinging gates, two clamping plates placed adjacent one another between said mold box and one of said side frames, wedges provided upon the adjacent surfaces of said clamping plates, three cam shafts mounted in bearings underneath the table, all said shafts being operatively connected so that they rock together, cams carried upon said cam shafts provided with connecting rods engaging the said latch plates and one of said clamping plates, a worm wheel secured to one of said cam shafts and a crank operating a worm engaging said worm wheel.

12. In a machine for pressing concrete blocks a frame, a table, secured to said frame, two crank shafts mounted in bearings carried by said frame, driving gears secured to said crank shafts, and means for riving said crank shafts comprising a driving shaft, a pulley secured to said shaft, a friction clutch, a pinion held upon said driving shaft by said friction clutch, a shifting sleeve actuating the friction clutch carried upon said driving shaft, a shifting sleeve provided with a side cam slidably mounted upon one of said crank shafts, a rocking shaft, shifting arms carried upon said rocking shaft engaging the said shifting sleeves, a swinging lever pivoted to the frame adjacent to said crank shaft sleeve and provided with a side cam, an arm carried by said rocking shaft, and a spring acting upon said arm adapted to hold in contact the said cams, a foot lever, and a connection between said foot lever and said swinging lever, whereby the latter may be raised or lowered,

and gears connecting said pinion With the said driving gears.

13. In a machine for pressing concrete Y blocks a frame, a table secured to said frame,

tWo crank shafts mounted in bearings carried by said frame, driving gears secured to said crank shafts, a platen, connecting rods joining the crank pins of said crank shafts with said platen,a pinion mounted upon a counter shaft engaging both driving gears carried by the said crank shafts, and means for driving said pinion.

'14. In la machine for pressing concrete blocks a frame, a table secured to said frame, two crank shafts mounted in bearings carried by saidV frame, driving gears secured to said crank shafts, a platen, connecting rods joining the crank pins of said crank shafts With said platen, a pinion mounted upon a counter shaft engaging both driving gears carried by said crankshafts, a driving pulley and a driving shaft, a friction clutch mounted upon said driving shaft, a pinion controlled by said friction clutch, a band brake tted to said friction clutch, and means controlling said friction clutch and said band brake adapted to apply friction to the one of them While releasing the friction from the other.

SIMON R. BRYGIDER.

Witnesses FRED LEVE, FANNIE LEV.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

